2011 Ford Mustang First Impressions

Calabogie, Ontario — When I arrived at the hotel near Ottawa, the mere sight of the new 2011 Ford Mustang almost took my breath away. Actually, there were a number of them, all aligned in the parking lot and proudly sporting their ‘60s look. It immediately brought back memories of my father, a real car enthusiast and hardcore fan of the Mustang, who used to take the utmost care of his pony car.

Sure, it beautifully draws inspiration from the original model while adding some gorgeously-executed modern cues. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

As it turned out, my old man had some errands to run in the area, so he happily joined me for the media launch. Seeing all those new-school Mustangs gave him quite a shock…

The design isn’t that spectacular, mind you. Sure, it beautifully draws inspiration from the original model while adding some gorgeously-executed modern cues. However, standing in front of so many Mustangs proved overwhelming for my father, who grew up idolizing this Ford.

Flawless styling
You know me, my attention quickly shifted to the most fearsome stallion of all, the Shelby GT500. With its unique fascia and prominent cobra and "GT500" logos, this machine simply screams power. Yet, the silhouette stays true to the conventional Mustang, be it the base V6 model or the V8-powered GT. Admittedly, no other muscle car has managed to preserve the look and feel of its ancestors as effectively (notwithstanding a disastrous period during the ‘70s). The 2011 model is as classic and pure as the original. Even Dad agreed with me.

The real beauty of this car lies in the many refined upgrades that were applied by Ford engineers to elevate performance to an all-time high. Nostalgia stops right here. For purists, bringing a six-cylinder engine under the hood or softening up the suspension was sacrilegious. For my money, though, this is the best move ever. Believe it or not, the new V6 model already proves faster than all the mighty Mustangs from the glory years, even the iconic 429 from 1969.

Sometimes, you just have to live in the present…

With its unique fascia and prominent cobra and "GT500" logos, the Shelby simply screams power. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)